Berkeley protests cause cancellation of city council meeting

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BERKELEY, California – Berkeley, California’s so-called chokehold protests have become increasingly violent, a far cry from the mostly peaceful demonstrations seen across the land.

Now, the Berkeley protests are stopping city business.

This week, the city council canceled its regular meeting a few hours before it was to start.

Tom Bates is the mayor of Berkeley. "We received credible threats. But I was reluctant to give in to those people, but then the reality is the chambers only hold 125 people. It's right next to the police department."

Of course, what kind of “credible threat” to police could possibly come from people who say they want to improve relations between the cops and the community?

"A credible threat is indicated by 20 officers being injured by ice picks being thrown at them,” explained police chief Michael Meehan. “So, I think the mayor's point is we don't know who's still in town. There's probably a lot of people who are hell bent on violence and tearing our city up and we don't want to see that happen."

One woman says she was a victim of some of that violence when masked protesters attacked her as she shot cellphone video of them, only to learn they were part of the violence the night before.

Cops arrested 19 people in Berkeley and Oakland Tuesday in another night of violence apparently from people not interested in non-violent protests.